The present disclosure relates to optical components, and more specifically, to an optical component having one or more nanoparticle heat sinks.
Optical fiber assemblies traditionally use optical components such as, for example, optical fibers and/or optical fiber couplers, to convey optical light along a desired optical path. With respect to laser beam applications, power levels can reach anywhere from 2 watts (W) to 1000 kW, for example. Laser beams, however, can generate temperature increases at various localized areas of the optical fiber assembly. Conventional optical fiber assemblies typically implement heat sinks configured to dissipate heat across a broad area of the optical fiber. These conventional heat sinks, however, are not successful at dissipating heat at localized or concentrated areas of the optical fiber.
In applications where two or more optical fibers are spliced together, for example, localized heat areas are typically found at the interface between spliced cores within the optical fibers. Over time, the increased temperatures can weaken the optical fibers and induce cracking at the splice interface of the cores which reduces performance and quality of the overall optical fiber assembly. In cases where optical couplers are utilized, an optical fiber is supported within a thermally conductive housing. An epoxy is typically used to retain the input end of the optical fiber to the housing. When delivering laser light to the optical fiber, a portion of the laser light can impinge on an exterior surface of the housing such that localized heating occurs at the laser light entry point. The increased temperatures can crack the input end of the optical fiber and also burn the epoxy causing the optical fiber retention to be weakened or damaged. In addition, epoxy tends to undergo outgassing when heated which can contaminate the surfaces of optical components.